A range finder means an instrument or device used to determine the distance of an object from a reference point. In the prior art, a laser range finder may use a rotating mirror assembly to direct a beam transmitted from the laser range finder. A laser measurement system of the prior art may include a mechanically operated mirror, which scans through a certain requisite range of motion to reach a desired setting or angular position. Because such mechanical scanners must typically scan through a certain range of motion to reach a desired steering of a laser or light beam, the practical response time of the mechanical laser scanner is greater than desired for certain applications, such as vehicular control. To improve the scan rate of the mechanical scanner, a laser source may be reflected from a multi-sided rotating mirror or prism to produce a broad angular field of view of the laser source over a region. However, the rotating mirror arrangement is costly to manufacture and susceptible to mechanical failure, such as shock or vibration cracking the mirror or misaligning it.
If the laser range finder is exposed to dust or other particulate matter in an agricultural environment, the range of motion of the laser range finder may be impeded and performance may be degraded. Vibration of the laser range finder may lead to mechanical failure of one or more joints in a rotating mirror assembly of the prior art laser range finder. Further, the mechanical components of a rotating mirror assembly are limited to a practical minimum size by manufacturing constraints and cost. The size of the rotating mirror assembly may be too large to accommodate a desired housing size for a laser range finder. Accordingly, a need exists for a laser range finder with one or more of the following characteristics: rapid or real-time responsiveness suitable for dynamic vehicular control, a compact housing, resistance to dust and other particulate matter, and reliability despite exposure to vibration.